We build custom made timepieces with vintage American-made Hamilton movements from 1930-1950´s. All movements are fully overhauled and adjusted. All timepieces are with 42 mm diameter, sapphire crystal and transparent case back.

Prices:

with Hamilton Cal. 917 *** SOLD OUT ***

with Hamilton Cal. 921 *** SOLD OUT ***

with Hamilton Cal. 923 *** SOLD OUT ***

Extras:

Hand engraved 925/000 Sterling Silver face *** SOLD OUT ***

Hand engraved movement *** SOLD OUT ***

Here is a sample with Cal. 921 and completely hand engraved 925 Sterling Silver dial (*** SOLD OUT ***):

The "American Made" models have old American Hamilton pocket watch movements from the 1920-1950s. These movements are fully restored and overhauled by the team at Tourby. Each movement is made from combining two movements, the best parts from each is used to make one calibre. The parts are checked and if necessary repaired by hand and then movement receives a very expensive overhaul. A third movement is kept by  Tourby in stock for spare parts, so that the service is secured for the future. Thus Tourby requires three movements to create one finished watch. The Hamilton brand is not to be confused with today's namesake a Swiss watch brand. The American Hamilton was located in Pennsylvania and was the largest watch manufacturing company in the United States. Up until the late 1960s they built exceptional pocket watches, mainly for the local railroads. Hamilton movements are of such impressive quality that even up to the present day they are hardly exceeded, neither in terms of quality or design. At the turn of the century a pocket watch from Swiss manufacturer was rather plain and only served as a measuring instrument, an American movement was not only a technical masterpiece but also decorated to the highest levels. American Watchmakers believed a watch should serve not only for its primary purpose but that it should also visually bring the owner joy every day. Today's collectors appreciate this and for this reason the old pocket watches from the American Factories Hamilton and Waltham are highly sought after. They possessed blue screws and beautiful Engravings and even before 1900 had highly refined movements. Served as models the old English watchmaker with its ornate spindle pocket watches. While most pocket watches of the time were quite large, Hamilton began to produce smaller and smaller pocket watches in the early 1920s. These modern and more manageable pocket watches were so-called "open face" models, had a front crystal which did not need to have the front cover repeatedly opened and closed to read the time. Hamilton built four different open face pocket watch movements which were 16 ligne (diameter 36mm), the "Caliber 917", the "Caliber 921", the "Caliber 923" and the "Caliber 945".

We offer the American made timpieces in classic or pilots design in different level of movement finish.

Prices:

**** free shipping worldwide ****

*** SOLD OUT ***

The caliber 917 is the entry level model. This movement has 17 jewels, 18.000 A / h, Genver stripe finish, lever escapement, monometallic screwed balance wheel, Breguet spring, 5 gold chatons (even on the front), sunburst finish winding wheels and is finely regulated in 3 layers. This movement was made in a very small numbers and today are only about 1,000 pocket watches surviving.

Price: *** SOLD OUT ***

(full hand engraved movement *** SOLD OUT ***)

The caliber 921 is a high end model with 21 jewels with an additional swan-neck fine adjustment and jeweled barrel. The movement has 21 jewels and is precision-adjusted in five positions. It has a beautiful corner screw decoration (Cotés de Cirqulaires) and is decorated and polished in all imaginable places. Even the front of the movement, which normally only a watchmaker ever gets to see is provided with Wolenschliff, gold mounts and bevelled parts. Some of these movements were also had a blued and temperature resistant Breguet spring. These details would now be sufficient to obtain a "Geneva Seal", a mark of quality whith some watch maufacturers starting their prices from 30.000, - Euro per watch. This movement was made in a limited series and now less than 500 of these pocket watches are still available.

Price: *** SOLD OUT ***

(full hand engraved movement *** SOLD OUT ***)

The caliber 923 is the highest quality of all American pocket watches and is similar in design to the 921 but the 923 has two additional jewels (23 Jewels) and beautifully decorated and polished winding wheels. The engravings are gold plated and the movement has an increased power reserve of 45 hours. This movement has been mainly used for high-quality pocket watches made from 18k gold and today less than 100 of these pocket watches are avaliable.

Price: *** SOLD OUT ***

(full hand engraved movement *** SOLD OUT ***)

(full hand engraved 925 Sterling Silver dial *** SOLD OUT ***)